SEO/GEO Manager

About the role

The SEO/GEO Manager at Harper owns the complete strategy and execution of the company's organic and AI-driven discovery presence. This role is responsible for ensuring that every small business owner searching for insurance guidance can reliably find Harper as the best answer across traditional search engines and next-generation AI platforms. You will translate the complexity of commercial insurance into clear, authoritative content and signals that perform well in both crawler-based and generative AI environments. You report directly to the Head of Marketing and work in tight partnership with content and growth teams to align search insights with product and messaging. Success in this role will be defined by measurable improvements in keyword rankings, organic traffic, and downstream conversions that support the company's rapid growth trajectory. You are expected to operate at speed, make decisions based on data and first-principles reasoning, and continuously adapt as search and AI behaviors evolve. This is a hands-on, high-impact position for someone who thrives in an environment where ownership, judgment, and execution are valued above process.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Own and refine Harper's end-to-end SEO and GEO strategy, aligning keyword research, content planning, and technical execution with business objectives.
• Drive measurable gains in organic visibility for Harper across high-intent commercial insurance queries, including coverage types, industry-specific terms, and informational funnel stages.
• Lead the development and implementation of strategies that position Harper in AI-generated answer spaces, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google SGE, and other emerging discovery platforms.
• Collaborate closely with the content team to create, optimize, and scale content that earns links, ranks well, and directly answers questions from small business owners.
• Conduct technical SEO audits and work alongside engineering to improve site health, structured data, crawlability, and performance to support stronger rankings.
• Define and manage measurement frameworks that track organic traffic, rankings, and conversion metrics, then synthesize insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Maintain ongoing awareness of search algorithm and generative model updates, assessing second-order effects and adjusting strategy before industry norms emerge.
• Translate search and GEO insights into cross-functional recommendations for product, marketing, and content teams to ensure alignment and impact.
• Partner with leadership to define and track KPIs that demonstrate the strategic value of organic and AI discovery initiatives.
• Act as the primary subject matter expert for SEO and GEO within Harper, mentoring and influencing stakeholders without direct authority.
• Prioritize initiatives based on potential impact, effort, and alignment with the company's growth phase and market position.
• Continuously test hypotheses, document learnings, and iterate on both content and technical approaches to improve results over time.
• Represent Harper in external forums and conversations related to search, SEO, and AI discovery where appropriate.
• Balance long-term strategic work with rapid experiments designed to capitalize on shifts in search and AI behavior.

Requirements

You have owned SEO for a company that competes in a high-volume, competitive search landscape and moved the needle meaningfully on organic performance. You have started thinking seriously about GEO and have a clear point of view on what it takes to show up in AI-generated answers. You think about content strategically, not merely as a ranking mechanism, but as a way to build authority and answer real questions from small business owners. You are equally comfortable reviewing a technical audit and briefing a writer on what to create for maximum impact. You track algorithm updates and model the second-order effects on your strategy before most people have written about them. You can translate search insights into content and product recommendations that non-SEO stakeholders can understand and act on. You are based in San Francisco or are willing to relocate to the city to work on-site as part of the team.

Nice to have

Experience with AI answer optimization and prompt-aware SEO techniques that help shape how generative models surface information. Familiarity with platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google SGE from an optimization or research perspective. Background in commercial insurance, fintech, or other highly regulated industries where credibility and clarity are essential. Experience building content programs that earn natural editorial links and demonstrate clear authority in a competitive niche.

Practical notes

This role is an on-site position in San Francisco, requiring long days and consistent in-person collaboration with the team. The successful candidate will be expected to work from the office full-time and participate in all-hands and team rituals. Employment is at-will and subject to Harper's standard policies, including background checks as required by law. The compensation range provided reflects base salary and does not include equity or benefits, which are part of the total rewards package.